Venetian blind



NOV. 1, 1949. REDMAN 2,486,492

VENET IAN BLIND Filed Aug. 16, 1946 Harold ecl'rnan A t/orneys Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE 1 BLIND Harold M. Redman, Pontiac, Mich.

Application August 16, 1946, Serial No. 691,049

This invention relates to Venetian blinds of the type having a drop bar and a head structure in which means is provided for lifting and collapsing the slat arrangement and structure interposed between these parts, the principal object of the invention being to provide novel means for fastening the usual lift cords to the drop bar in such a manner as to permit quick detachability of the lift cords from the drop bar and displacement of the lift cords entirely from the slats so that the slats can be readily removed for the purpose of cleaning or painting.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a new form of drop cord fastening means for Venetian blinds which will permit quick disassembling of the Venetian blinds, even by householders; when it is desired to clean the slats thereof or make incidental repairs.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved Venetian blind construction which has the advantages above asserted and without noticeably increasing the cost of manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is fragmentary front elevational view of the lower left hand corner of a Venetian blind with a portion broken away to disclose the improved fastening means for the corresponding pull cord.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view also substantially taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, but showing the guide feature of the pull cord fastening means elevated to a position freeing two of the slats.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the slotted detent washer for the guide.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 5 denotes the usual base or drop bar of a Venetian blind structure, the blind being slightly modified over conventional construction to accommodate the present invention, which is generally referred to by numeral 6.

Numerals I, 8 denote the usual front and rear tapes, connected by horizontal slat supporting tapes 9, upon which horizontal slats II! of the usual shape and material are supported.

Each of the slats II! at the points Where drop cords II extend therethrough are formed with over-sized openings I2, matching like openings I3 in the horizontal slat supporting tapes 9.

2 Claims. (01. 160-173) For each pull cord II, the drop bar 5 has a plug having a diametrically disposed and longitudinally extending slot I6 therein, opening through the ends thereof and adjacent the lower end of the guide I5 are chordal slots I1 on diametrically opposite sides thereof and in substantially parallel relation with the slot IS.

The slot I I5 is preferably somewhat narrower than the diameter of the cord II, so that some force must be exerted in disposing the lower end of the cord to the proper position within the slot I6, after which brads or other fastening elements I8 can be driven into the guide I5 so as to pierce the cord and hold the cord against slipping from the guide.

As is fairly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the opening I4 merges with a much larger counterbore or recess I9 into which the lower end of the guide I5 depends when in fastened position.

To prevent displacement of the guide I5 from the drop bar 5, a disc or washer 20 is employed, this washer having a diametrically formed slot 2| for embracing the reduced portion of the guide I5 at the slot [1, with the edge portions of the washer 20 at the opening 2| disposed through the chordal slot l1, H, the washer bearing against the top of the counter-bore I9, thus interlocked with the guide I5 to prevent displacement of the guide from the drop bar 5. With the washer 20 in place on the guide I5, the lower end of the guide terminates substantially flush with the bottom of the drop bar 5 or somewhat within the counterbore I9.

In the use and operation of the structure above set forth, and assuming that the parts are assembled as shown in Figure 1 and 2, in order to remove the slats I0 for the purpose of cleaning or painting, the guide I5 is first forced downwardly in the opening I4 of the drop bar 5 so that the slotted washer 20 is exposed below the counter-bore IS, in which position the washer can easily be removed from the guide I5. The pull cord II can now be grasped, for instance above the lowermost slat Ill, to pull the guide I5 upwardly from the drop bar 5 and through the lowermost slat I 0 and successively the guide I5 can be pulled through the openings I2, I3 of the slats l0 and cross-tapes 9 until all of the slats I0 have been freed. The slats can now be pulled laterally from the blind structure and cleaned, painted or otherwise renovated. After the slats have been properly treated, they are reinserted between the front and rear tapes 1, 8 until the openings I2, I 3 register, after which the guide I can be threaded downwardly through the slats and cross-tapes 9 and finally through the opening I4 of the drop bar 5, to a position with the chordal slot I1 accessible below the drop ban 5 when the slotted washer 20 can be disposed in position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, after which the guide [5 is pulled upwardly so that the washer 20 bears against the "top ofthe counter-bore 2| 9..

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

claimed as new is:

1. In a Venetian blind, a drop bar, slats above the drop bar formed with aligned openings, and a pull .cord passed vertically through the aligned openings, said drop bar being formed with an opening leading from its upper face .and with a cdunterabore in its under face with which its opening communicates, astifi' sleeve formed with a longitudinally extending radially disposed groove .into which the lower portion of the pull cord fits and is secured against displacement, said sleeve passing snugly through the opening fin the drop bar and into the recess thereof and within the recess being .formed with chordal grooves disposed at ppposite sides of the lonitudinal-1y extending groove, and a washer formed, with a radially extending slot and straddling the sleeve transversely thereof with portions of the washer at opposite sides of its slot fitting tightly the transverse grooves of the sleeve, said washer removably fitting within the recess of the drop bar with portions projecting laterally from the sleeve and bearing against the top of the recess and serving to prevent upward movement of the sleeve through the opening in the drop bar.

2. A device for preventing upward movement of a pull cord through an opening in a drop bar of a Venetian blind, said device comprising an elongated member of a diameter adapting it to pass through an opening-ima-drop bar, said mem-- ber being formed in a side portion with a radially disposed groove extending the full length of the saidlmember and in which a lower portion of a "pull cord is adapted to fit, portions of the said member at opposite sides of said groove being formed with transversely extending grooves in "opposed relation toeach other, and a disk formed with a. slot leading from its marginal edge, said disk being removabiy applied to the said member with portions at opposite sides of its slotengaged in the transverse grooves of the said member and the portion of the said member between its transverse grooves fitting into the slot of the disk.

HAROLD M. REDMA'N.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,052,379 Brent Aug. 25, 1936 2,086,461 Began July 6, 1937 2,224,943 Wheeler Dec. :17, 1 940 2,314,461 Sc'haeier .Mar. 23, 1943 

